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Questions tagged [talmud-gemara]

The Talmud is a central text of Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, metaphorical stories, customs, and history.

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Gemara source regarding Levy in Germania

My name is Levy. Someone I know from France, where we have the same origins, in Alsace / Germany, and profoundly religious and an intellectual, told me that in the Gemara, it is said that after the ...
Colette Levy - Geismar's user avatar
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Sugya summary for each mesechta

I am looking for an English sefer that contains a summary of each sugya in a mesechta as well as the halachos learned in that sugya. Thanks, Yosef
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Apparent contradiction if Elul was made full when necessary

The Gemara Rosh Hashanah 19b says: והאמר רבי חיננא בר כהנא א"ר מימות עזרא ואילך לא מצינו אלול מעובר לא מצינו דלא איצטריך הא איצטריך מעברינן ליה Didn’t Rabbi Chinana bar Kahana say that Rav said: ...
H. Eugene Walters's user avatar
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Piskei Hilchos Pesach

In Maseches Pesachim 57b, the last page of of the fourth chapter ends abruptly halfway through the page, followed by "הדרן עלך מקום שנהגו וסליקא לה פסח ראשון." The rest of the page is filled ...
YSR's user avatar
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Sotah 34a se’a as unit of weight?

In Sotah 34a, the weight of the stones at the Jordan from Joshua 4:3 is given as “about forty se’a.” Some (for instance Steinsaltz) use this in the discussion of the cluster of grapes brought back by ...
sideband's user avatar
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Source for the menorah represents the wisdoms of the world?

This blog post claims that the Meiri along with other Rishonim taught that the Menorah ,mentioned in Behalotecha represents the 7 wisdoms of the world. Quoted here: The Meiri and other Rishonim say ...
Yaakov Pinchas's user avatar
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Why do many masechtot conclude with a portion of Aggadata?

From what I've seen, many Masechtot in Shas seem to conclude with an aggadata portion that can be found towards the end of that particular Masechta. Is there a documented or stated reason as to why ...
alicht's user avatar
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When answering a greeting one should top it

On a daf yomi shiur I heard that when someone is being greeted/blessed he should reply with a greater blessing. When I heard that I thought that this was the reason why people reply shabbat shalom ...
hazoriz's user avatar
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Does the Talmud discuss "Solomon's Pools"

I recall visiting Solomon's Pools, located a bit south of Bethlehem, years ago, before it became "Area A". Wikipedia says: The water system based on Solomon's Pools has provided water to ...
DanF's user avatar
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Logic behind אם אינו ענין

Every now and again Chazal use a method of exegesis of the form אם אינו ענין ל___ תנהו לענין ___‏ which means that if a word or phrase is extra, due to the halacha it apparently teaches being ...
DonielF's user avatar
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Did Amoraim in Bavel study or know of the Talmud Yerushalmi?

The Talmud Yerushalmi was completed while the Amoraim in Bavel were still debating and discussing halachos that would be recorded later on the Talmud Bavli. I'd like to know if we can know or assume ...
Gavriel's user avatar
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Why are non-Jews referred to as עובדי כוכבים in the גמרא?

When the גמרא refers to עובדי כוכבים, it is usually (eg. Artscroll) translated as "non-Jews". Is this supposed to exclude monotheistic non-idolatrous non-Jews or is it inaccurate translation? If ...
Moses Supposes's user avatar
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Coin System from the Talmud -- the Selah, Darkon and Dinar

in Rambam Hilchos Shekalim Perek 1 Halachos 2-4, the basic coinage system is like this: 1 Isar = 8 Perutahs. = 4 barley kernels 1 Pundyon = 2 Isarin. 1 Me'ah/Gayrah = 2 Pundyonin. = 16 barley kernels ...
B''H Bi'ezras -- Boruch Hashem's user avatar
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What is the source for "asi aseh v'dachi lo sa'aseh"?

Throughout Shas we have a concept of "asi aseh v'dachi lo sa'aseh," that a positive commandment overrides a negative commandment (ex. Beitzah 8a, Yevamos 84a, etc.). What is the source for this ...
DonielF's user avatar
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Maseches Beitzah 7a and science

In Maseches Beitzah 7a the gemara says that any animal that mates by day will give birth at day-this is talking about a chicken ,and any animal that mates by night gives birth at night, this is ...
sam's user avatar
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Talmud source that the righteous can create worlds with their words

Looking for a source in the talmud which says that the righteous can create worlds with their words - I saw this and I can't remember in which tractate/where exactly, google isn't helping.
Nati's user avatar
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Comparison of editions of Shas menukad

As far as I'm aware, there are at least three editions of the Talmud which are currently available with nikkud in the daf itself (the Steinsaltz/Koren, the Tuvia's Judaica, and the Oz Vehadar). In my ...
Noach MiFrankfurt's user avatar
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Is a bat kohen who has relations with a pasul (not marries) then forbidden from t'rumah?

Is a bat kohen who has relations with a pasul (not marries) then forbidden from t'rumah? I ask this because I'm having trouble understanding Noam Yerushalmi's explanation of Yerushalmi Yevamot 8:6 in ...
Sarra's user avatar
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Sefardim starting to study the Talmud with Rashi and Tosfot

When did the sefardim start to study the Talmud with Rashi and Tosfot? And which books did they use before knowing about Rashi and Tosfot?
far22's user avatar
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Source for an Aggadah about Moshe feeding a bird

I was reading a book called "Shylock" by Hermann Sinsheimer and he made reference to a story from "the Jewish Talmud." (can be seen here) I don't know to what he is referring. I ...
rosends's user avatar
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Rambam and the 10 types of Malachim

In Yesodei HaTorah 2:7, The Rambam lists the 10 types of malachim (angels) in order of power. Many people have told me that this halacha proves that the Rambam knew Kabalah, since this knowledge is ...
Yishaq's user avatar
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Why were the Ma'amad afraid of the Notzrim?

There is an interesting brief discussion at Taanis 27b which says that the Ma'amad would fast four days a week -- but never on Sunday. According to Rabbi Yochanan it is because they were afraid of ...
Bruce James's user avatar
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How do we evaluate a b'raisa that quotes Rebbe against an anonymous Mishna?

At Rosh Hashanah 19b, the Gemara raises a b'raisa quoting Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi (aka "Rebbe") -- the editor of the Mishna -- to counter the opinion of the anonymous Tanna quoted in the previous Mishna ...
Bruce James's user avatar
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Siyum Mishnayos on Erev Pesach

Today I learned of the minhag to make a siyum bechorim only on gemara. I understand the logic, but is there a source for it? This came up because I'm scheduled to make a siyum on the Mishna (first ...
Yitzchak's user avatar
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Inconsistent scheduling for the musaf offering

In P'sachim (58a), Abaye frames a disagreement between Rabbi Yishma'el and Rabbi Akiva regarding the ordering of the korban musaf and the bazichin (bowls of frankincense burned when the old showbread ...
Fred's user avatar
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A Mashal of HaShem as a crazy king and Moshe as His weak-kneed friend?

The Gemara (Ber. 32a) quotes R' El'azar that when HaShem wanted to destroy Bnei Yisrael and Moshe intervened, it is comparable to a king who beat his son terribly, and the king's friend was at his ...
Seth J's user avatar
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What are the "maasim tovim"?

Talmud, mishna, and other sources reference "maasim tovim" (good deeds) in many places (Avos 4:17 is one example). Do any sources define what this term actually includes? Some of the possible options ...
user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
627 views

How is the male skeleton different from female?

This question is a follow-up to "Different-counts-of-the-248-organs-". As we see from the Mishnah in Ohalot 1,8, only the bones are counted as organs, namely a bone that has sinew and some ...
Al Berko's user avatar
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Berur halachah - what is this called in English?

I'm translating an article concerning the need for a "berur halachah" in order to determine the legal status of individuals with mental retardation. How would say "berur halachah" in English? "...
Ilanysong's user avatar
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1 answer
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Why does the Steinstalz Talmud interpret this one sentence in contradiction to Rashi?

A sentence towards the bottom of Sanhedrin page 5b speaks of kneading dough in a state of impurity. דתניא פעם אחת הלך רבי למקום אחד וראה בני אדם שמגבלין עיסותיהם בטומאה ...‏ In the English Koren ...
Yehuda W's user avatar
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1 answer
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Why doesn't the Talmud provide a list of the 613 commandments?

The Talmud says that there are 613 commandments in the Torah: Rabbi Simlai, when preaching, said: 613 precepts were communicated to Moses: 365 negative precepts, corresponding to the number of ...
Maurice Mizrahi's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
15 views

How does the Talmud account for Moshe being instructed to make the luchos before the wooden aron but reversing them?

The Talmud understands that Moshe was instructed regarding the Mishkan prior to the Aron etc but for some reason (Ritva theorizes that it was a test) flipped them when instructing Bezalel with Bezalel ...
Nahum's user avatar
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Is there a concept of sexual transmutation in Torah?

Hi in some of the certain secular books I have seen before taking Torah more seriously for example in Think and Grow Rich it says that a person can transmute (transform) the energy of his Zera to ...
John's user avatar
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Does fiduciary responsibility exist in Halacha

Putting aside Dina D’malchuta Dina, is someone liable for violations of fiduciary responsibility in Halacha. So does Halacha have a notion of fiduciary responsibility (which means not poorly managing ...
Kirk's user avatar
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Gemara relating to Yeshua Hanotzri

Does anyone have a list of all the places where Yeshua Hanotzri is mentioned in the Gemara (and was redacted because of the Christian censor)? I found theses two places: Sanhedrin 43a Sanhedrin 107b
Moz's user avatar
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Different publishers of kovetz mefarshim

I'm wondering what the different major publishers of kovetz mefarshim on Gemara are, and if there are any pros/cons to the different editions. In general, and if known regarding Kiddushin specifically....
ak0000's user avatar
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Halacha on being attentive to someone when they're speaking to you

BH Does Halacha or any teaching in the Torah address the following scenarios: A) When someone is talking to you, must you be attentive to show them respect that you're listening to what they're saying?...
David 's user avatar
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104 views

Does the Tosafot HaRosh cover all the Babylonian Talmud?

As how the title states, does the Tosafot HaRosh cover all of the tractates of the Talmud. If it doesn't then which tractates does it cover?
xiok's user avatar
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Where can I find the indexes to Ein Yaakov online?

Ein Yaakov, a collection of aggadah from Shas, was originally published with a thematic index and an index according to the parshah, haftarah and megillos. They are described in this article and this ...
Meir Luria's user avatar
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235 views

Methods of avoiding unintentionally wasting seed at night

Hi I heard there are methods of avoiding unintentionally wasting seed at night like sleeping on your side specifically that it has to be uncomfortable so your body doesn't sin in the night and then ...
David 's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
79 views

Why can women be lashed if Deuteronomy 25:3 speaks in masculine terms ("then thy brother should be dishonoured before thine eyes")?

According to Deuteronomy 25:3: ג אַרְבָּעִים יַכֶּנּוּ, לֹא יֹסִיף: פֶּן-יֹסִיף לְהַכֹּתוֹ עַל-אֵלֶּה מַכָּה רַבָּה, וְנִקְלָה אָחִיךָ לְעֵינֶיךָ. Forty stripes he may give him, he shall not exceed; lest, if ...
setszu's user avatar
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Source for Story about Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi Collecting Teachings from All the Tanaim

Someone recently mentioned to me a story that in the days of the Tannaim most people learned from a single teacher and learned a single derekh or set of halakhot. Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi was unusual in ...
Avraham's user avatar
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2 votes
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When did The Talmud first become available to the readers as a written document?

What was the probable earliest time, when some Jewish readers could get a hold of a document that contains any material that belong to the material that is found in Talmud Sanhedrin? What was the ...
ميخائيل مينا's user avatar
2 votes
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58 views

Why does the Gemara reference R' Yaakov in an odd way?

In Sotah 46a, it says the following: אָמַר לְהוּ הַהוּא מֵרַבָנָן ור׳ יַעֲקבֹ שְמֵיהּ לְדִידִי מְפָרְשָא לִי מִינֵּיהּ דְרַבִי יוֹחָנָן מְשִיכַת עוֹל לְרָחְבוֹ טֶפַח One of the rabbis said to them, ...
yogazefish's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
454 views

Why is Music not allowed at Jewish Funerals?

When my mother died several decades ago, a childhood friend and I performed her favorite Yiddish song, "Dona Dona," at her funeral. Being raised in non-observant families we were surprised ...
Dan Fefferman's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
58 views

What was the Halacha before the ruling of "יהרג ואל יעבר"?

The Sages counted the votes and concluded: If a person is told: Transgress this prohibition and you will not be killed, he may transgress, except for idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and ...
Al Berko's user avatar
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2 votes
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Is there a place in Gemarra or Chazal that describes or recommends using Memory Palaces?

I have read that a number of ancient philosophers, western and eastern, describe the use of Memory Palaces as an aid to memory. Is there also a place in Chazal with such a recommendation or ...
Jonesome Reinstate Monica's user avatar
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Passing a sentence before asking questions?

Moed Katan 27b: when Rav Hamnuna once happened to come to a place called Darumata he heard the sound of a shofar announcing that a person had died in the town. When he saw some people doing work he ...
sds's user avatar
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Shechita only during the times of the Beis Hamikdash

Can someone point me to where in the Talmud there’s an opinion that shechita is only required during the times of the Beis Hamikdash?
Jmill388's user avatar
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Is there a Talmudic source for this saying

I was asked if this saying, or a similar concept is found in the Talmud: "Not everything that one thinks, one should verbalize. Not everything that is said should be written. Not everything that ...
user16403's user avatar
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